No doubt, this is just one dilemma that the recent wave of college students and new graduates will face as interns. How do you play your cards right? Here are some do's and don'ts to get the most out of your internship.
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Click here to read "5 Job Interview Do's and Don'ts."
DO Know Your Job
As basic as it may sound, it's extremely important to be sure you're doing your job--and doing it well. So, if it's not provided to you on your first day, ask if there are any written procedures or a job description to help you better understand the position.
Why? As a woman, Black, Latino or member of any traditionally underrepresented group, you're constantly being watched, warns Marcia Brown, vice provost of student affairs and community outreach at Rutgers University - Newark.
"One of the first things I learned in my first job was that my performance was being observed," Brown says. "I was the first woman … and one of the things I recognized early on was that I was under scrutiny."
Doing your job effectively also means knowing how your job affects the overall output of the company. "It's important to understand that what you do not only affects you but [it] affects others, and that's a big adjustment," Brown says.
DON'T Be a Martyr
Although it's vital that you bring your whole self to work, you need to understand the corporate culture before volunteering ways to change it. It's not your responsibility as an intern to "save the world."
"Sometimes, you have to curb your enthusiasm and thought. But remember, you are probably not the first person who has thought about what you are bringing up. It's important to be strategic and practical," Brown says. "If you can't be tactical, and you think there's something that can be done differently and better, think about the best way to get that in."
There are certain aspects of the corporate culture you must accept, but there is a way to respectfully challenge the flexible aspects of the company. If you are Black, Latino, a person with a disability or an LGBT person, this process is more complicated. You want to be an advocate for change, but you really don't want to be the barrier breaker, especially as an intern.
DO Dress Appropriately
"The first thing people notice about an individual is his or her dress," says André Lee, director of recruitment for INROADS, a nonprofit organization that trains and develops talented students from traditionally underrepresented groups for professional careers in business. "I always advise people to wear business-professional attire."
DON'T Underestimate Having a Mentor
Identifying a mentor who is both like you and different from you not only helps you work better with all people, it also diversifies the perspective and advice you receive.
"As the work force grows increasingly diverse, it's important to learn to work with people different from you," says Kim Ward Gaffney, national director of coaching for PricewaterhouseCoopers, No. 5 on The 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list. However, "if you feel that someone's race, age or gender is going to keep you from being transparent and being able to have a candid, authentic relationship, then perhaps you're not ready at that moment in your career to seek beyond your comfort zone."
DO Ask for Help
If you don't know how to perform a task, don't be afraid to ask. As an intern, your supervisor understands that you're new to the job and, despite the shortage of resources in workplaces today, should be willing to spend some time showing you the ropes.
